Midwest Mary

Curly Freedom

Decades of battling unruly hair
taming those curls into straight, shiny strands
until the day I announced that it won.
“I give up.” I declared. “Do as you wish.”

Know what I learned from my final retreat?
Sure, the curls go every which way, but
God made my wild hair, so it must be fine,
and I have more time without the fussing.
Most of all, I am naturally free.

©Mary K. Doyle, 2026